Top Israeli military analyst in Greenwich July 9
By Cindy Mindell

Last July, more than 120 people came to Temple Sholom in Greenwich to hear a Haaretz journalist, hosted by AIPAC, prophesy about the future of Gaza. Rabbi Mitch Hurvitz realized that the temple needed to ramp up its Israel focus and soon launched the Rabbi’s Council for Israel Education and Advocacy.

On July 9, Temple Sholom is again teaming up with AIPAC for a briefing by Elliot Chodoff, a major in the Israel Defense Force reserves and a political and military analyst specializing in the Middle East conflict and the global war on terror.
“Synagogues have an Israel committee, but as a rabbi, you have to get at the forefront of Israel education and advocacy,” Hurvitz says. “Every rabbi has this kind of initiative, and connecting with Israel has always been part of our temple’s mission. But the focus on Israel education and advocacy has become a major priority for us.”
“The Gaza flotilla incident was a reminder that there is too much negative news out there and not enough explanation of why we love and need Israel. You need to be educated to appropriately advocate. If you start with a love of Israel and with the certainty that it needs safe and secure borders, you have a bell curve of discussion: you learn that there are different positions; you learn an appropriate way to have dialog, with the recognition that there are a lot of people who are not friends of Israel.”
All temple departments, from nursery school to the ritual committee, are part of the effort to refine and sharpen the Israel-related vision. Temple Sholom has partnered on Israel-related programming with Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford and with the Jewish federations in Greenwich and Westchester. The shul’s congregants are involved in advocacy organizations like AIPAC and the Anti-Defamation League.
“There are many wonderful connections in the community and we want to get the synergy in place within the shul and be the umbrella organization,” Hurvitz says. “We want to have academic discussions, both for our own education and sensibilities, and to make sure that when our congregants are going out to advocate, they’re doing good and not being manipulated by false or incomplete information. For that, we need to help get the building blocks of core knowledge about Israel in place. People are committed and have a love of Israel, and we’re hoping to help continue so that the next generation has the same love and commitment.”
A graduate of the Ramaz School in New York and SUNY Stoneybrook, Chadoff has presented and published papers on the subjects of deterrence and U.S. military manpower policy, cultural relativism and nuclear deterrence policy in the Middle East, Israel’s changing defense posture following the 1982 invasion of Lebanon, and terrorists’ use of modern information technology. His paper on combat motivation in infantry units is on the recommended reading list of the U.S. Army War College. His articles have appeared in the Washington Times, National Post of Canada, Front Page Magazine, and numerous web journals. He is a senior editor of “MidEast On Target,” an e-journal and newsletter.
In addition to the July 9 briefing, there are more programs in the works: participation in AIPAC’s fall teen leadership summit in Washington, D.C. and spring policy conference, a joint community program with Agudath Sholom and the Friends of the Israel Defense Force ensemble, and an annual mission to Israel.
For more information on Elliot Chadoff’s talk contact (203) 542-7156 or olga.bouksdorf@templesholom.com.

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